Razer Orochi, Naga & Imperator Review

Introduction:

Do you enjoy playing your computer games? Maybe your mouse is beginning to give you troubles and you need a new advantage to frag your opponents in your favorite FPS or maybe you need to be able to have more macros available at your fingertips while playing your favorite RPG? No matter what you are looking for in a mouse, you do know one thing that you need - something that is going to be comfortable and give you the performance you know you deserve. Razer is one of the companies that comes to mind when I think about computer gaming mice and they just happen to have a few mice that are going to be able to suit your needs, no matter what they may be. We will be taking a look at the Razer Orochi, Naga, and Imperator mice and comparing them to some of the competition. I am anxious to see exactly what these mice offer and how well they are able to stack up to the competition.

Closer Look:

As I said, we are going to be looking at the Orochi, Naga, and the Imperator - all three have their own unique features that set them apart from each other, as they were designed for different uses. Nevertheless, they all do have one thing in common - they were designed to be used as a gaming mouse to give you that extra edge against your competition. The Razer Orochi is a Bluetooth wireless gaming mouse that has been targeted toward the laptop market, but has a USB cable that will allow wired operation. The Razer Naga has been designed for the RPG player, with a massive amount of programmable buttons on the mouse to help keep all your shortcuts and in-game actions in one place. The Razer Imperator is your typical FPS gaming mouse with its own list of features that sets it apart from the other mice out on the market. We will start by looking at all three of these mice individually.

Orochi

First up is the Razer Orochi mouse. The packaging for this particular mouse is different than the other two mice, having a more elegant look to it. The front of the packaging displays the Orochi mouse very clearly with a plastic window that is always exposed. The top of the packaging is where you'll find the Bluetooth logo with the description "with gaming-optimized wired mode" to let you know that you can use the Orochi as either a wireless mouse via Bluetooth connectivity or wired. The Razer logo is located in the top right corner of the package, while the bottom contains the Orochi logo with "Bluetooth notebook gaming mouse" printed below. On one side of the package, you will see a message from the RazerGuy that gives you a description of the mouse and how they named it. You will also see a few of the features printed at the bottom of this side, such as 3G laser sensor, 7 buttons, 1000Hz ultra-polling, and Razer synapse. The back of the package contains a full list of the features and technical specifications for the mouse in both wired and wireless modes. The final side of the package gives you a few of the main features that Razer wanted to let the consumer know without searching, such as the Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity, dual mode wired/wireless functionality, up to 4000DPI, and that the mouse is airplane friendly.

Naga

Next up is the Razer Naga mouse. The packaging for the Naga mouse has a more flashy design than the Orochi's did, but the front of the packaging is not quite as busy. The front of the package contains a large image of the Naga mouse so that you know what the product looks like, with the Razer logo printed in the top right corner. The Naga logo is along the bottom with "MMOG" (Massively Multiplayer Online Gaming) and the description "laser gaming mouse" printed alongside the logo to let you know what the mouse has been designed for. The back of the package contains another image of the mouse, but this time it is labeled to highlight all the features of the mouse. In addition, you'll find a specifications list, as well as a laser sensor comparison chart. One side of the package has a few of the highlighted features that Razer wants everyone to know, such as 17 MMO-optimized buttons, maximum comfort for long gaming sessions, and custom interface add-ons for MMO games. The other side of the package contains a description of the Naga mouse, as well as some more highlights of the mouse, such as 3.5G laser sensor, ergonomic right-handed design, 1000Hz ultra-polling, 17 MMO-optimized buttons, 200ips tracking, and braided fiber cable protection.

Imperator

The package for the Razer Imperator is also quite simplistic on the front, but has a little bit more going on than the Naga's package. The front of the package features a large image of the Imperator gaming mouse with the Razer logo once again printed in the top right corner. The Imperator logo is printed along the bottom with the description "ergonomic laser gaming mouse" printed below to give you an idea of what the mouse is designed for. There is also a badge above the Imperator logo, highlighting the 3.5G laser sensor that the mouse has and lets you know that the mouse is capable of up to 5600DPI. As with the Naga, the back of the packaging features a labeled image of the Imperator that shows off the mouse's features. A specifications list appears to the left of the image, while a laser sensor comparison chart appears below it. One side of the package contains a few of the impressive features of the Imperator, such as the ergonomic right-handed form factor with contoured thumb grip, adjustable side buttons, and 5600DPI Razer precision 3.5G laser sensor. The opposite side features a blurb from the RazerGuy that gives you an overview of the mouse. Below his blurb is another list of features, such as 3.5G laser sensor, ergonomic right-handed design, 7 buttons, 1000Hz ultra-polling, on-the-fly sensitivity, and braided fiber cable protection.

Now that we know exactly what the packaging for all three of the Razer mice looks like, it's time to take a closer look at the mice one by one. The first one that I am going to start with is the Orochi.

Closer Look:

Opening up the packaging for the Razer Orochi, you will find a black accessory box in the back with the Razer logo printed on it along with the slogan "for gamers by gamers". Inside of the package you will find the USB cable that you can use on the Orochi mouse for wired use, which also doubles as a charger. You will also find a carrying pouch that will hold the USB cable and the mouse to not only protect them, but keep them together so you do not lose one of them while you are traveling. There is also a user guide included with the mouse so that you will be able to refer to it if you need to know how to connect your mouse to your notebook/netbook or look up any other information about the mouse itself. Razer has also included a sticker that you can place on your laptop, if you choose to.

When you pull the mouse out of the packaging, you will notice that it has a compact design that will allow it to easily fit inside of your laptop bag. While it is quite compact in design, it will fit nice and easily in your hand and offer you support for all your fingers. The front of the mouse has a futuristic look to it when the USB cable is not plugged into the mouse, giving it a very unique look compared to other mice out on the market.

There is a scroll wheel located on the mouse in the usual place, which features a rubber strip with grooves that will allow your finger to grip on and easily scroll down on your web pages or your weapons list in a game. On either side of the mouse you will find two buttons placed at the top of the thumb groove that can be programed to whatever you need them to do. By default, the ones on the left of the mouse are the forward and backward buttons for internet browsers and the right two are for on-the-fly DPI adjustments. If you flip the mouse over, you'll find the 3G laser sensor with the power on/off switch for when wireless mode is active. In addition, you'll notice the Ultraslick Teflon feet that Razer has placed on the bottom of the mouse to allow it to move around easily on all sorts of surfaces.

Now that we know what the Razer Orochi mouse looks like, it is time to move on to the Naga.

Closer Look:

When you open up the packaging for the Razer Naga, you will find a black package that has the Razer logo printed on top. Located inside of the black packaging is a whole bunch of papers - not only does it come with a user manual and stickers to display your "Razer Pride", but it also comes with a certificate of authenticity to prove that the mouse is a real Razer product. You will also find a product catalog that shows off some of the other Razer products. Inside of the user guide, you will find a few stickers that you can place on top of the twelve numbered buttons on the side of the mouse that will help you figure out which button you are about to press before you do and without having to turn your head off of the screen to press it, similar to the bumps on the "F" and "J" keys on your keyboard.

When you pull the mouse out of the package, the first thing that catches your eye is the number pad on the side of the mouse that goes from 1 all the way up to 12 in a 3x4 array. These buttons are all programmable to whatever you may want to have them do, either in your game or using the Razer software. Don't worry about not having your forward and backward buttons on the mouse because they are also located on the same side as the twelve numbered buttons, giving you a total of 14 programmable buttons on the side of your mouse. The Naga still does have a quite impressive ergonomic design to it that will be able to hold your fingers in place while you are playing your games.

The Naga features the same scroll wheel as the Orochi, with the notched, rubber cover to allow your finger to grip onto it easily and scroll through whatever list you may need to go through. As I mentioned above, there are still two buttons on the left hand side of the mouse that are, by default, set up to be your forward and backward buttons in your favorite web browser. The main attraction to the Naga mouse are the twelve programmable buttons on the side of the mouse. By default, these buttons are set up as a number pad, giving you numbers 0-9, as well as the "-" and "=" signs as 11 and 12. There is a switch on the bottom of the mouse that you can switch between "123" and "Num", which on the default level only changes the 12 key between "=" and "+". Also on the bottom of the mouse you will find the 3.5G laser sensor and the Ultraslick Teflon feet that allow the mouse to glide across any surface you have it on.

The Razer Naga mouse has a whole ton of buttons on it, placing it out of the normal realm of gaming mice on the market. Now let's see what the Imperator looks like.

Closer Look:

When you open up the packaging for the Razer Naga, you will find a black package that has the Razer logo printed on top. Inside of the black package is where you are going to find all the documentation you may ever need to know about the Razer Imperator, including a certificate of authenticity, user manual, and a product catalog. Razer has also included a cardboard coaster that you can use while you are gaming to show your support for your mouse, along with a pair of stickers that you can place on your case or any other surface.

The Imperator mouse has your typical ergonomic design, giving you a recessed thumb section for thumb support while you have your hand resting on the mouse with two buttons next to your thumb. You will also find a recessed area on the oposite side for your ring and pinky fingers to add more hand support. You will find a total of seven buttons located on the Imperator that can all be programmed using the Razer software. By default, you will have the on-the-fly sensitivity adjustment buttons on the top of the mouse, and your forward and backward buttons in the thumb groove.

The two side buttons have a nice feature that I have not seen before - you can adjust the placement of them into three pre-set positions, front, middle, and back. This is going to allow you to place the buttons where your thumb naturally sits on the mouse because we all know everyone has a different sized hand and places their hands on the mice differently. The top of the mouse contains two more buttons, set up as your on-the-fly DPI setting adjustment buttons. The scroll wheel is exactly the same as the other two mice, featuring the notched, rubber padding to allow your finger to grab on and easily spin the wheel. The bottom of the mouse contains the 3.5G laser sensor, as well as the Profile switching button and the switch that will adjust the placement of your side buttons.

Now that we know what the mice look like, it's time to take a look at the software that will allow you to use the mice to their fullest.

Configuration:

The installation process for the Razer Orochi is quite simple - first you have to go to Razer's website and download the drivers file, which is rather small. Once the driver is downloaded, you need to launch it and you will be prompted with a screen asking you what language you wish to install the software in. Once you choose the appropriate language, you will just need to follow the on-screen navigation until the drivers are completely installed. The drivers require a reboot of your system to be fully functional.

When you first open up the Orochi's device driver software, you will get a screen that has an image of the mouse, with all the programmable buttons numbered. A complete list of the numbers is to the left with drop down lists that let you choose what you may want to change the function to. Once you choose the function of each button, if you do wish to change them, you can continue on to the "Adjust Performance" screen where you are going to be able to change the DPI settings of the mouse (1500DPI default) or change the acceleration and polling rates. The mouse does have the option for on-the-fly sensitivity settings, and you will find these settings under the Sensitivity Stages page found by clicking the button above the DPI slider bar.

On the "Manage Profiles" screen, you'll be able to set up different profiles for the mouse. You can set up a different profile with preset DPI settings to each of them for your gaming sessions or for your average day-to-day usage. The "Manage Macros" screen allows you to set up different macros to be assigned to the buttons on the mouse. On the "Lighting and Maintenance" screen, you'll be able to set the Razer logo on the back of the mouse to on or off, turn the battery indicator on or off, and check for driver updates.

Configuration:

The installation process for the Razer Naga is just like the Orochi - first you have to go to Razer's website and download the drivers file. Once the driver is downloaded, you need to launch it and you will be prompted with a screen asking you what language you wish to install the software in. Once you choose the appropriate language, you will just need to follow the on-screen navigation until the drivers are completly installed. The drivers require a reboot of your system to be fully functional.

When you first open up the Naga's device driver software, you will get a screen that has an image of the mouse, with all the programmable buttons numbered, as well as a complete list of the numbers to the left with drop down lists for changing functions. To program the twelve side buttons, press the Thumb Grid View button and the view of the mouse changes to a side profile.

When you continue on to the "Adjust Performance" screen, you can change the DPI settings of the mouse from its default of 1500DPI, or change the acceleration and polling rates. The mouse does have the option for on-the-fly sensitivity settings, which you will find under the Sensitivity Stages page, found by clicking the button above the DPI slider bar.

On the "Manage Profiles" screen, you'll be able to set up different profiles for the mouse. You can set up a different profile with preset DPI settings to each of them for your gaming sessions or for your average day-to-day usage. The "Manage Macros" screen allows you to set up different macros to be assigned to the buttons on the mouse. On the "Lighting and Maintenance" screen, you'll be able to set the Razer logo on the back of the mouse to on or off, turn the battery indicator on or off, and check for driver updates.

Configuration:

The installation process for the Razer Imperator is just the same as the other mice - first you have to go to Razer's website and download the drivers file. Once the driver is downloaded, you need to launch it and you will be prompted with a screen asking you what language you wish to install the software in. Once you choose the appropriate language, you will just need to follow the on-screen navigation until the drivers are completely installed. The drivers require a reboot of your system to be fully functional.

When you first open up the Imperator's device driver software, you will get a screen that has an image of the mouse with all the programmable buttons numbered and a complete list of the numbers to the left with drop down lists for changing functions. When you continue on to the "Adjust Performance" screen, you'll be able to change the DPI settings of the mouse from its default of 1500DPI, as well as change the acceleration and polling rates. The mouse has the option for on-the-fly sensitivity settings, which you will find under the Sensitivity Stages page, found by clicking the button above the DPI slider bar.

On the "Manage Profiles" screen, you'll be able to set up different profiles for the mouse. You can set up a different profile with preset DPI settings to each of them for your gaming sessions or for your average day-to-day usage. The "Manage Macros" screen allows you to set up different macros to be assigned to the buttons on the mouse. On the "Lighting and Maintenance" screen, you'll be able to set the Razer logo on the back of the mouse to on or off, turn the battery indicator on or off, and check for driver updates.

Testing:

To properly test the line-up of Razer mice (Orochi, Naga & Imperator), I will be testing it on four different aspects: speed, comfort, precision, and customization. To test the speed of the mouse, I will rate how fast the cursor is able to move across the screen. To test the comfort of the mouse, I will rate how comfortable it is to handle. The precision of the mouse will be rated by in-game sniping ability rated by the number of head-shots. For the last rating, I will be rating how well you are able to customize the mouse to fit your needs. The Orochi mouse will be tested as a wired mouse.

First up is the speed test, which will be rated on a scale from 1-10. I will be moving the mouse from the top left corner of the screen to the lower right corner. A 10 rating would represent lightning fast, while a 1 would be equal to a snail moving across your screen.

The comfort test is going to be rated by how comfortable and natural the feel of the mouse is to the hand, using a 1-10 point scale, where a 10 represents your hand is in heaven, while a 1 is equal to extreme discomfort.

In the precision test, I will be gaming using Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and using the Barrett .50cal. I will rate the accuracy on a 1-10 scale, where 1 would represent no headshots and a 10 would mean all headshots.

Lastly, we have customization. To grade each mouse on this test, I will see exactly how well you are able to change the buttons of the mouse, as well as how easily it is to adjust the DPI resolution levels on the fly while you are in a game. A 10 would mean you can easily change your DPI settings in the game and have full control over changing the buttons using the software. The Microsoft Intelimouse received a 1 score in this benchmark due to the fact that there is no ability to customize the mouse outside of the standard customizations Windows allows (double-click speed, pointer speed, wheel speed, etc.).

Orochi:

The Orochi scored a solid 8 on the speed test, slightly limited by the 3G laser sensor's DPI settings of 4000DPI. While this is still quick for your everyday tasks, many gamers are going to want to have something that is going to fly from one side of the screen to the other in a split second. Plus, when you compare the 4000DPI settings to the 5600DPI and above that a majority of the mice are now equipped with, it does not stack up. When it came down to the comfort testing on the Orochi, I had to give it an 8 as well - the only reason that it lost some points here is due to the fact that the mouse is very small in my hand. While the mouse will be comfortable for use in a tight space or while on the move with your laptop, everyday usage of the mouse would not be something I would want to do. The Orochi lost some points in the precision testing, achieveing a mere 7, due to the fact that it was not the most comfortable mouse to hold during a gaming session. The customization of the mouse was quite good, scoring an 9 in this test. You are able to customize all the buttons on the mouse, as well as convert it between a wireless and a wired mouse.

Naga:

The Razer Naga was able to score a 10 in the speed test because of its 3.5G laser sensor giving it a maximum of 5600DPI. This allows the mouse pointer to cross a 24" monitor at 1920x1200 resolution very quickly. The comfort of the Naga was not the absolute most comfortable mouse that I have ever held, however it was able to score a 9 in this test due to the fact that it does provide support for all my fingers on the mouse and gives my palm a nice resting place that it can comfortably sit on for a long gaming session without needing a break. The comfort has a direct relationship to the precision testing - if your hand is not very comfortable, you will not be able to perform to your best. That is one of the reasons the Naga was able to get an 8 in the precision test. The customization of the Naga is going to have to get a 9 just like the Orochi, due to the fact that you are able to customize all 17 buttons on the mouse to whatever you may need them to do.

Imperator:

Like the Naga, the Imperator gaming mouse received a solid 10 in the speed testing due to the same reasons - a 3.5G laser sensor giving it a maximum of 5600DPI, which again allows the mouse pointer to sail across the 1920x1200 desktop very quickly. When it came down to the comfort testing, the mouse scored a 9. Razer focused on ergonomic design and as a result, the Imperator was quite comfortable. The grooves on the mouse were quite drastic and were a bit too sharp and steep for my hand, giving it an unnatural feel while I had my hand sitting on the mouse. Nevertheless, it did give support to all my fingers and my palm while I was gaming with it. The precision of the Imperator in my testing was an 8, due to a mixture of the speed and the comfort of the mouse. As with the other two Razer mice, the customization of the Imperator was quite good. I was able to change all the buttons on the mouse, as well as being able to slide the side thumb button into three different positions (front, middle, and back).

Conclusion:

Take a look at the original question that I had asked - are you looking for a new mouse that is going to meet your gaming needs? Well I think that one of the three mice here is going to hit what you are looking for in a mouse, be it a FPS gaming mouse, a mouse for RPGs, or even a mouse to use with your notebook/netbook while you are traveling around. I will start with the Orochi mouse - I liked how it was able to be used as either a wireless mouse using Bluetooth connectivity with your laptop or as a wired mouse to keep from running down the batteries. The downside of using it as a wireless mouse would have to be the weight, but that is a personal opinion, as I enjoy using a lighter mouse over a medium or heavy mouse. The 3G laser sensor on the Orochi only allowed the mouse to have up 4000DPI, which is fine for the everyday usage, but when it comes down to using it as a gaming mouse, you may notice a few performance hits if you are the type of person that likes to have your DPI settings cranked all the way up. The compact size was not very comfortable for a gaming session, but if you are just using it as a mouse for your laptop while you are traveling, it should not be a problem at all. The fact that the mouse has a total of seven customizable buttons does give it an edge in the mobile mice department and allows it to compete well with the other desktop gaming mice.

When it comes to the Naga, if you are a RPG gamer, you will absolutely love this mouse. You will have enough buttons on your mouse that you would be able to set most, if not all, of your more commonly used macros to the buttons on the mouse, allowing you to easily and quickly hit them, giving you an edge over the competition. I had very few complaints about the Naga. It is a lot different than I am used to and the height of the mouse does give it a bit of awkwardness for my liking, but it may just be due to the fact that I am used to a less aggressive gaming style mouse. The 3.5G laser sensor on the mouse does give it the 5600DPI maximum setting allowing you to have whatever speed is comfortable to you. The mouse was on the border of being too heavy for my taste, however it was actually a pleasure moving it around the mouse pad and did not give my wrist any troubles during my gaming sessions.

The Imperator gaming mouse from Razer was also a nice mouse for use during a FPS game - you aren't overwhelmed with too many buttons, but you are able to customize all seven buttons. The Imperator has a very light weight feel to it, which gives it an advantage, in my book, to the other two mice in the review, due to the fact that my wrist did not feel any resistance from the mouse as I was playing a FPS. Razer attempted to make the Imperator its more ergonomic mouse over some of the others, but for my hand, the grooves in the mouse for the thumb and other fingers were a little too drastic and did not give me a natural feel while I was holding the mouse. Nevertheless, it was still quite comfortable to hold on to. Like the Naga, the Imperator features a 3.5G laser sensor that allows it to have up to 5600DPI, giving you the freedom to have either a slow or ultra fast mouse pointer in your game. Razer also added a feature to the Imperator that I had not seen before - adjustable thumb buttons. I always kept mine set to the most forward setting, as that's where my thumb is used to finding the buttons.

So if you are looking for a new mouse, Razer may just have the one you are looking for. If you were looking for a new mouse for everyday usage or playing your favorite FPS game, you may want to look at the Imperator. If you are always on the go and traveling, but still want to be able to game in between bouts of work, you may want to look into the Orochi wireless mouse for its features and compact design. And lastly, if you are a person who enjoys playing RPGs, especially MMOs, you might just have to go and pick up yourself the Naga, which gives you a whole bunch of buttons to program you favorite macros.Â